By Tyler Wright
Goal umpires in the Outer East Football Netball League have taken to their posts wearing blue beanies for the first time in support of a colleague with Motor Neurone Disease.
On Saturday 18 June, goal umpire Matt Stickland sported the ‘Big Freeze 8’ head gear while officiating the Gembrook Seniors and Reserves matches – and so did 24 of his peers across the league’s games.
In 2015, the 53 year old was diagnosed with MND – a debilitating disease which takes away the use of a person’s arms and legs, the ability to eat and swallow and eventually the ability to breathe – all within an average time-frame of 27 months.
Matt was given between 24 to 36 months to live, but seven years later is now goal umpiring on Saturdays and loves the way footy “brings people together”.
“I can’t run…but I can signal correctly and move a bit,” he said.
[The league] have welcomed me with open arms.”
For the husband and father of three, having his peers stand in solidarity with him to mark the awareness campaign was “amazing”.
“It showed me that there are many, many people in all corners of the community that are not just in my corner but also in [the corner] of other people with motor neurone disease and their families,” Matt said.
“When [a person] is diagnosed, they’re told there’s no cure, there’s no effective treatment for motor neurone disease; and what the FightMND cause has done is give people with motor neurone disease and their families a little bit of hope.”
Head of Umpiring at the Outer East Football Netball League, John Howarth, said alongside the Sockit2MND round, umpires wearing the Big Freeze beanies helps awareness of the impacts of MND and promotes inclusivity within the league.
“[Matt] spoke to a group at training about what it meant to him – and he was just over over the moon with all the support,” John said.
Now in its eighth year, the Big Freeze, run by FightMND (co-founded by AFL legend and MND patient Neale Daniher), reached a record-high fundraising tally of almost $20 million.
The funds, generated through beanie sales, donations and community fundraising efforts, will be invested in research to find effective treatments and a cure for MND.
Matt has seen this collective effort at a local level in his area of Emerald and surrounds.
“We ordered 120 odd beanies and friends of ours have sold them through their hairdressing salon or through their Pilates studio,” he said.
“We had to order 30 more – so that’s 150 beanies through friends and family and local businesses – everyone’s got behind the cause – we feel really supported and encouraged.”
In 2017, Matt took part in the original ‘Lighthouse trial’ alongside 49 other participants and now take the Triumeg tablet daily.
He has noticed symptoms slowing, as four new clinical trials set to begin this year with the help of fundraising.
“Many of us might not be around to see the cure found…but it does give us a glimmer of hope that we’re heading in the right direction and people are supporting us,” Matt said.
